The festival had been an interesting experience, though he could not say he was all too pleased with his prize. The device he now carried in his jaws because he was too embarrassed to actually wear it was a bright red helmet with metal spikes. Although it appeared like a threatening tool to use in combat, it did not quite fit the behemoth's head... so, instead, it irritated his blue gums while the straps he was forced to hold onto were kept saturated in the teen's drool. He was ready to get rid of this thing almost as soon as it was given to him.

He thought perhaps he could bring it to the market that Eyrun had informed him about, though he wasn't sure if it classified as something 'shiny' like she had mentioned that he bring. It would have to do for now as the loner had very little options as to what he could offer. He had not mastered the art of skinning his prey yet, or trapping.. not enough to trade tools dealing with any of it. He was still young, inexperienced, and learning his skills.

After his hunt with Altair, the teen was ready to explore the forest of weeping willows that the woman had told him to seek out. He felt nervous but excited just as equally while his heavy black paws left prints along the sands of Boreas' shore. When he reached the willows, he finally left the guidance of the coast and ventured further inland... though it didn't take long for him to get lost. He followed the scent of water until he could find the lake that interrupted the forest, deciding to take a quick break to drop the awkward helmet and rest before continuing on his search for the market.

Beneath the shade of a willow, he rested offshore of the lake after quenching his thirst in its cold autumn waters. The helmet rested against the tree's trunk, metal spikes slightly disturbing its bark as Dominus seemed to position it against the tree without paying any mind to such a thing. He plopped down just as absent-mindedly beside it and let his blue eyes drift around the forest while his ears listened. A market would be sure to attract, perhaps if he just paid attention to the forest... he could find it.

Valkyrie rolled her neck and stretched on the outskirts of the market grounds. After a beat she began to pad away. She needed a break. Standing before a crowd and managing bets didn't seem like much work, but after nearly a day of it the marauder needed to take a breather. She was doing well for herself and it was clear that when everything was said and done the band was going to have made a killing.

 

It felt good to stretch her legs so Valkyrie roved far. The market was in capable paws so she had no worry to keep her close by. Her wolves could handle things and she had no doubt it would be as she had left it when she got back.

Her eyes fell upon a shiny red object on a dark background by the lake and Valkyrie, ever curious, decided to investigate. As she neared it became clear that the background was in fact the large, dark form of a wolf and the shiny red thing beside him was a helmet of some kind. She recognized the shape from one of the options she'd been given by the crafter who had made her battle accessories.

More details jumped out at her the closer she got. The dark wolf was male, his features notably masculine and strong, and quite large. Though he sported a man's build there was a certain youthfulness to his features that pointed to him being as young as he was tall. A yearling, perhaps. Certainly not much younger than Valkyrie. "Are you lost, stranger?"

""

Dominus' had managed to catch the blur of brown moving through the willows before she got too close, though she seemed more interested in his inventory than him at the moment. He didn't mind, he wasn't trying to gather too much attention here at this market. He only hoped some of the other accessories he had seen at the festival managed to find themselves floating around this market just as this helmet soon would be. That was why he was here.

Sapphire stare drifted from the stranger to the helmet she was inspecting only until she spoke up. Her accent caused curiosity to flicker behind the glass of his eyes like a candle being lit in a window, his previous look of disinterest replaced by captivation. He wasn't sure why, but he wanted to hear her speak again just to enjoy the different way she pronounced her syllables. The titan lifted himself from where he was resting, pulling his weight up to a full stand so he could answer her with his attention apparent in his body language.

"Sort of. My name is Dominus. I ran into a wolf named Eyrun at a festival.. she told me there was a market being held in this forest. I came to check it out, do you know anything about it?" Genuine interest somehow made his still maturing vocals seem more youthful than normal, though bass still resonated from the giant as he spoke. Square jawline lifted as he kept his eyes solely on her, his head respectively held level with the rest of his spine. Other than a few idle flicks of his ears, his posture never strayed from anything short than an attempt to look charming.

 

A slow, easy smile came to her lips as Dominus answered. Even if he hadn't been lost Valkyrie had fully intended to inform him of the market he was missing out on, but seeing as he'd already heard of it (and from Eyrun no less) she could skip all of that.

"Aye," she said, still smiling. "I know a thing or two about it." Though he was young he was quite the looker already. Any day now his voice would mature, he'd lose the last little bit of youthfulness that rounded his features, and then no doubt he'd be fending off the ladies left and right.

"My name is Valkyrie and I am the one hosting the market." She resisted the urge to glance down at his helmet. It was a little too red, but the bright color might appeal to some if he desired to trade it. "I can point you in the right direction and I'm sure I can answer any questions you might have."

""

It's a flash flood!

As the two spoke, the rivers began to swell from rainfall up stream. By the time the first crack of thunder is heard, the rivers around weeping woods have double in size. When the torrential downpour starts, the rainwater has no where to go. Within mere minutes, the water gathers in heights of a foot or more. It's a flash flood! better find somewhere dry, the water hasn't stopped climbing yet!

As Valkyrie introduced herself, Dominus' full attention was given. His dual-tone blue eyes were lifted up to her own gaze as she stood and he remained standing in place after he had gotten up. It was no surprise that he missed the subtle rising of the rivers that surrounded them, not until their water hit his toes. The sudden storm that broke out made him furrow his 'brows as he finally looked away from her in an attempt to survey the area around them and assess the situation. Fuck.

"Another time?" He grinned with some amusement as if it were a question, though he definitely started to back away from the rise of the river. He had every intention on attending the market today, though for some reason he had a lot of doubt now that he would actually make it there.

"You know this area better than I do, where can we get out of this? I'm not cut out for climbing trees if I'm being honest." He eyes the willow closest to them as he spoke, wishing he could simply wait out the flood among the branches. He was way too heavy to climb a vertical slope like that, so he simply picked up the helmet that was resting against the tree's trunk by it's straps. He wanted to wait for Valk's answer before he took off completely, but already he began shuffling away from the water's growing reach.

 

Valkyrie's eyes narrowed and she frowned down at the water suddenly lapping at her toes. She'd been so fixed on the youth that she'd missed the swelling of the rivers. "Another time," she agreed with a snort of wry amusement.

"I'm not cut out for climbing trees..." Her amusement growing, Valkyrie lifted a paw to show off her claws. She quirked a brow at him. "That's too bad; it was nice knowing you." She was kidding of course. If he was going to follow her lead then of course she was going to take him to the market. Valkyrie wasn't going to pass up the chance to usher in a potential buyer.

She glanced around in search of the best route to take. If the river was rising here then no doubt the way she had come would be flooding as well as she had crossed more than one creek to get here. "Come. This way should be clear," she said as she took off at an easy, ground-eating trot towards a place she knew to be high ground.

""